Proverbs 4

New International Version

Get Wisdom at Any Cost

4 Listen, my sons,^(A) to a father’s instruction;^(B)
    pay attention and gain understanding.^(C)
²I give you sound learning,
    so do not forsake my teaching.
³For I too was a son to my father,
    still tender, and cherished by my mother.
⁴Then he taught me, and he said to me,
    “Take hold^(D) of my words with all your heart;
    keep my commands, and you will live.^(E)
⁵Get wisdom,^(F) get understanding;
    do not forget my words or turn away from them.
⁶Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;^(G)
    love her, and she will watch over you.^(H)
⁷The beginning of wisdom is this: Get^[a] wisdom.
    Though it cost all^(I) you have,^[b] get understanding.^(J)
⁸Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
    embrace her, and she will honor you.^(K)
⁹She will give you a garland to grace your head
    and present you with a glorious crown.^(L)”

¹⁰Listen, my son,^(M) accept what I say,
    and the years of your life will be many.^(N)
¹¹I instruct^(O) you in the way of wisdom
    and lead you along straight paths.^(P)
¹²When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
    when you run, you will not stumble.^(Q)
¹³Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
    guard it well, for it is your life.^(R)
¹⁴Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
    or walk in the way of evildoers.^(S)
¹⁵Avoid it, do not travel on it;
    turn from it and go on your way.
¹⁶For they cannot rest until they do evil;^(T)
    they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
¹⁷They eat the bread of wickedness
    and drink the wine of violence.^(U)

¹⁸The path of the righteous^(V) is like the morning sun,^(W)
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.^(X)
¹⁹But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;^(Y)
they do not know what makes them stumble.^(Z)

²⁰My son,^(AA) pay attention to what I say;
    turn your ear to my words.^(AB)
²¹Do not let them out of your sight,^(AC)
    keep them within your heart;
²²for they are life to those who find them
    and health to one’s whole body.^(AD)
²³Above all else, guard^(AE) your heart,
    for everything you do flows from it.^(AF)
²⁴Keep your mouth free of perversity;
    keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
²⁵Let your eyes^(AG) look straight ahead;
    fix your gaze directly before you.
²⁶Give careful thought to the^[c] paths for your feet^(AH)
    and be steadfast in all your ways.
²⁷Do not turn to the right or the left;^(AI)
    keep your foot from evil.

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Footnotes

Proverbs 4:7 Or Wisdom is supreme; therefore get
Proverbs 4:7 Or wisdom. / Whatever else you get
Proverbs 4:26 Or Make level

1 John 4:7-21

New International Version

God’s Love and Ours

⁷Dear friends, let us love one another,^(A) for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God^(B) and knows God.^(C) ⁸Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.^(D) ⁹This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son^(E) into the world that we might live through him.^(F) ¹⁰This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us^(G) and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.^(H) ¹¹Dear friends,^(I) since God so loved us,^(J) we also ought to love one another.^(K) ¹²No one has ever seen God;^(L) but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.^(M)

¹³This is how we know^(N) that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.^(O) ¹⁴And we have seen and testify^(P) that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.^(Q) ¹⁵If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,^(R) God lives in them and they in God.^(S) ¹⁶And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love.^(T) Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.^(U) ¹⁷This is how love is made complete^(V) among us so that we will have confidence^(W) on the day of judgment:^(X) In this world we are like Jesus. ¹⁸There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear,^(Y) because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

¹⁹We love because he first loved us.^(Z) ²⁰Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister^(AA) is a liar.^(AB) For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen,^(AC) cannot love God, whom they have not seen.^(AD) ²¹And he has given us this command:^(AE) Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.^(AF)

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Matthew 11:7-15

New International Version

⁷As John’s^(A) disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness^(B) to see? A reed swayed by the wind? ⁸If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. ⁹Then what did you go out to see? A prophet?^(C) Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰This is the one about whom it is written:

“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,^(D)
who will prepare your way before you.’^[a]^(E)

¹¹Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹²From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence,^[b] and violent people have been raiding it. ¹³For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.^(F) ¹⁴And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.^(G) ¹⁵Whoever has ears, let them hear.^(H)